Kalam Mekhar
Minala (wife) House of Chains, Chapter 6 Barathol Mekhar (Distant cousin)The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, UK MMPB, p.686Orb Sceptre Throne, Chapter 11, UK MMPB, p.447 |affiliation=ex-Claw Bridgeburners |occupation=Assassin Soldier |rank=Corporal |titles= |warren= |soletaken= |divers= }} Kalam Mekhar was an assassin, originally from Seven Cities,Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p. xii who had been among the Claw's best before a falling out.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 20, US HC p.411 He was black-skinned and described as moving effortlessly despite his girth.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.55 Other descriptions noted him as being tall and broad shouldered, big and almost bearlike in appearance,Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 2, UK MMPB p.80 but in possession of a certain grace. He had dark eyes. Kalam spoke with a north Seven Cities accent, melodic and round and had a deep, smooth laugh.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.153 According to Quick Ben, when Kalam spoke in a certain low tone, he was at his most dangerous.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.401 The second part of his name signified that Kalam was a member of the Mekhar tribe which used to live towards the west of Aren.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, UK MMPB p.686 He and Quick had a habit of speaking in tandem.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK HB p.130/131 exampleGardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.155 Their friendship had begun long before both men became Bridgeburners. According to Salk Elan, during his early pre-Imperial days in Karashimesh, Kalam had had another partner named Porthal K'nastra.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 17, UK HB p.735 As a former member of the Claw, Kalam possessed an advanced inner discipline of mind and body. He could staunch his own bleeding wounds with his thoughts alone. He could also decrease his body temperature to a level indiscernible from cobble or stone to prevent detection by those with enhanced sight.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 22, US HC p.551 In Gardens of the Moon Kalam was Corporal of the 9th Squad of the Bridgeburners under Sergeant Whiskeyjack.Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB xii After the battle at Pale, Kalam was present when Quick Ben shifted the soul of Hairlock into a puppet - Tattersail thought that the soldier looked like someone who had come to like killing. Kalam pulled some strings and ascertained that someone high up in the Empire had the Bridgeburners marked.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.103 Whiskeyjack thought of Kalam as the ninth squad's killer.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 3, UK MMPB p.106 Whenever Sorry was close to him, Kalam would slip a knife into his palm.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.133 Kalam admitted to Tattersail of being afraid when they were waiting for Hairlock who might be tracked by Hounds of Shadow. Her admission of having been sat on a pillow for the last two hours made both of them laugh.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 4, UK MMPB p.153 Kalam and his squad were sent on deployment to Darujhistan. They were airlifted by Moranth Quorl to the northern shore of Lake Azur. Before crossing the Lake via fishing boat supplied by the Moranth, Whiskeyjack told them that he had changed the official plan as that would get them all killed. He divided the squad into two teams, one to be led by Kalam, the other one by the Sergeant himself. With Kalam were Quick Ben and Sorry. Kalam told Whiskeyjack that he was concerned about morale in the squad as well as the forthcoming crossing. Quick Ben arrived and told Whiskeyjack and Kalam about a meeting he just had with Hairlock and a plan he had come up with. This left the sergeant and Kalam looking shaken. Kalam and Quick Ben's amusement at the others getting the boat ready was cut short when Whiskeyjack told them to help.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.258,264-266 Tattersail was of the opinion that the way Kalam and Quick Ben were trying to take the responsibility from Whiskeyjack's shoulders was their way of expressing their love for the Sergeant.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 9, UK MMPB p.298 Kalam and Quick persuaded Whiskeyjack that they would be better off with Sorry on the Sergeant's teamGardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.363 and continued their mission of making contact with the local thieves and assassins without her.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.374 The task of offering a contract to them proved difficult as the Guild had gone to ground following the recent attacks of which Kalam and Quick were unaware.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.379 In their closest attempt at a meeting, the pair were ambushed by a dozen Tiste Andii night-hunters. Kalam was able to incapacitate two, Jekaral and Boruld, but was himself severely wounded and barely escaped with his life.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 13, US HC p.297-303 Kalam guarded Quick's body when the latter journeyed to the Shadow RealmGardens of the Moon, Chapter 11, UK MMPB p.380/381/383/384 and shared the mage's joy at the success of the venture.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.401 On the night of the Gedderone Fête, Kalam and the other Bridgeburners posed as guards at Lady Simtal's estate. There they finally made contact with Vorcan Radok, Mistress of the Assassins' Guild. Kalam successfully negotiated a contract with Vorcan to eliminate the mages of the city's T'orrud Cabal, the city's true rulers.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, US HC p.450-451 After the gathering was attacked by the Jaghut Tyrant Raest, Fiddler and Hedge raced away to set off their charges, but were stopped in their tracks by the appearance of the demon Lord of Galayn. The delay saved the city as it gave time for Quick Ben and Kalam to stop the plan that would have unknowingly touched off the city's enormous gas reserves.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 22, US HC p.459Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 23, US HC p.468 When the Bridgeburners broke off from the Malazan Empire to join High Fist Dujek Onearm's mutinous forces, Kalam did not go with them. Instead, he and Fiddler felt they owed Apsalar an escort back to her home in Itko Kan. They swore they would return, if they could.Gardens of the Moon, Chapter 24, US HC p.481 In Deadhouse Gates Kalam ventured with Fiddler, Crokus, and Apsalar (previously Sorry) to Seven Cities on their way to the heart of the Malazan Empire. They journeyed under the guise of taking Apsalar home, but Fiddler and Kalam had planned with Quick Ben to kill Empress Laseen during this mission. The two Bridgeburners were to seek out the Azath House Tremorlor and use its gate to travel instantaneously and undetected to the Deadhouse in Malaz City.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 8, US HC p.225 From there it was a short trip to Unta where they hoped to assassinate the Empress in revenge for the attacks on the Bridgeburners. Quick Ben would serve as their Shaved Knuckle in the Hole through an ensorcelled rock that Kalam could use to summon the mage once they were in the halls of the palace.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 1, US HC p.46Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 11, US HC p.301 The company of a formerly possessed fishergirl with the skills of an immortal assassin would only improve their chances.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 3, US HC p.93 After the Empress' death, Quick Ben and Kalam "had someone in mind" to succeed her.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 11, US HC p.300 However, Kalam's part in the plan was delayed when he acquired the Book of Dryjhna from the spy Mebra in Ehrlitan. Kalam set off on his own for Raraku to bring the holy book to the seeress Sha'ik, and touch off the Whirlwind rebellion.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 2, US HC p.68-71 Although Fiddler argued that this was a betrayal of their fellow soldiers, he was resigned to the fact that Kalam's "old blood calls" and the rebellion would "add another crack in Laseen's crumbling control."Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 3, US HC p.92 Kalam delivered the book, but unbeknownst to him he had been followed by Lostara Yil and the Red Blades who assassinated Sha'ik before she could complete her ritual.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 5, US HC p.131-136 Ignorant of these events, Kalam headed south towards Aren in order to book passage on a ship to the Imperial capital. Fiddler and the others would follow by the original route. Along the way he rescued a Malazan soldier and his family from bandits pursuing them after the fall of the Orbal garrison to the rebellion. Keneb, Selv, their children, and Minala then joined Kalam on his journey.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 9 During this time, a strong attraction developed between Minala and the assassin. When the group stumbled upon a rebel camp where Korbolo Dom had crucified 13,000 Malazan children, Kalam used up one of Quick Ben's gifts to open a passage into the Imperial Warren.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 11 After safely arriving in Aren and saying goodbye to Keneb, Minala, and the rest, the assassin was offered free passage to Unta aboard the Ragstopper by Salk Elan.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 13, US HC p.364-369 The man claimed to be a merchant and ally of Mebra, but revealed himself to be something more when he helped the assassin repel an attack by pirates.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 15, US HC p.391Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 17 A voyage that should have taken days seemed to last for weeks. Kalam was forced to use up the ensorcelled stone given to him by Quick Ben as a communication tool of last resort. The mage determined that Kalam and the ship were prisoners of a Mockra mage before their link was severed.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 19, US HC p.493-494 The ship finally made port at Malaz City (not Unta) where Salk Elan revealed himself to be a Claw by the name of Pearl. He paralyzed the assassin with his mind magic, before stabbing him in the side and tossing him overboard. Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 20, US HC p.536-538 The wounded Kalam made his way to shore where he was hunted in the streets of Malaz City by several Hands of the Claw. But the assassin turned the game around on the Claws, ambushing and killing three full Hands. When the Claw finally ran him to ground, he was saved by Minala who had followed him all the way from Aren on another ship.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 22, US HC p.553-554Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 23, US HC p.569-572 Kalam ultimately confronted the Empress in Mock's Hold, or at least a projection of her using a rotting corpse as a vessel. But when the Empress explained the truth about Dujek's rebellion and the events on Genabackis, the assassin abandoned the idea of killing her. Kalam was soon reunited with Fiddler, Apsalar, and Crokus who had successfully travelled to Malaz City through the Deadhouse. Then Shadowthrone brought Kalam and Minala into Shadow to serve as the surrogate mother and father for thirteen hundred children brought into their custody by the demon Apt.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 23 In Memories of Ice While performing a reading of the Deck of Dragons near Pale, the Bridgeburner mage, Spindle, drew the Assassin's card of High House Shadow. It took a moment for him to recognise Kalam's face on the card. This gave him and the other Bridgeburners an insight into Kalam and Fiddler's true mission.Memories of Ice, Chapter 5, US SFBC p.179 A conversation between Whiskeyjack and Dujek revealed that Quick Ben had never been serious in the attempt to assassinate Empress Laseen. Aware of the true motivations behind her actions, he nevertheless sent Kalam against her because only a face to face meeting with the Empress would have convinced the former Claw that she was not their enemy.Memories of Ice, Chapter 21, US SFBC p.770 After the Battle of Black Coral, Quick Ben and Ganoes Paran visited the tomb of the Bridgeburners within the throne room of Moon's Spawn. Quick Ben left a pebble behind in case he and Kalam wanted to visit later.Memories of Ice, Chapter 25, US SFBC p.987 In House of Chains According to a comment made by Cotillion, Kalam and Minala were now married.House of Chains, Chapter 6 The children who they had tended had been trained to become the Company of Shadow. After leaving the Shadow Realm and setting out for Raraku, Kalam came upon Irriz and his renegades, staking out the cliffside fortress of B'ridys. With the help of Sinn and an azalan demon, Kalam wiped out the renegades and took Irriz prisoner.House of Chains, Chapter 9 Kalam claimed his old title of leader of a hand within the Claw to pull rank on Sergeant Cord.House of Chains, Chapter 12, UK MMPB p.536 In The Bonehunters Kalam accompanied Adjunct Tavore and her aide T'amber to Mock's Hold where they met with the Empress and discovered that she had reinstated Korbolo Dom and appointed Mallick Rel to her inner circle. The Empress betrayed Tavore, so that Kalam and the two women were left to battle for their lives in a chase back to the Froth Wolf in Malaz harbour while being pursued by the Claw Assassins led by Pearl. Kalam decided to attempt to buy Tavore and T'amber some time by leading some of the Claw hands away from the two women. He was ultimately shot down by Pearl with a poisoned quarrel and left to dieThe Bonehunters, Chapter 23, UK MMPB p.1143. Shadowthrone found him and took him to the Deadhouse. In The Crippled God Considerable time later, Kalam was awakened in the Deadhouse by Quick Ben and Minala.The Crippled God, Chapter 18, UK HB p.505-509 The three journeyed to Kolanse via Warren to take part in the war to free the Crippled God by the side of Ganoes Paran. Kalam partnered up with Quick Ben in helping the Paran siblings fight the Pure Blood Forkrul Assail in the north of Kolanse, using their combined skills to assassinate the Pure Bloods on and off the battlefield. The two united with Fiddler and Hedge at the Marine/Heavy detachment guarding the Crippled God's body in the final battle with the Assail. History Kalam had once served as a member of the Claw.Gardens of the Moon, Dramatis Personae, UK MMPB p. xii Apsalar, drawing on her memories from her possession by Cotillion, related that Kalam had been a Falah'dan's Dagger and that after the Malazan invasion the Claw gave him command of a Hand.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 1, UK MMPB p.63 He was a master assassin. ] As recounted in detail during a conversation between Whiskeyjack and Anomander Rake, Kalam played a key role in the journey across the Raraku desert that forged the Bridgeburners. During a Seven Cities rebellion that had originated in Aren, one of the Seven Holy Protectors was struck down and his rebellious mage cadre fled for Raraku. Whiskeyjack's cobbled together squad was ordered to pursue and given Kalam, a recent Claw recruit and local, as guide.Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, US SFBC p.299-300 Kalam brought Whiskeyjack and his soldiers across the Raraku desert in pursuit of the twelve mages. The mages succumbed one by one until only the last one, Ben Adaephon, was left. When they caught up with him, he told Whiskeyjack and his soldiers that "Raraku, sir, has burned the bridges of their pasts, one and all – it’s all gone." Kalam was flushed out as a traitor who had been helping Quick Ben all along. Nevertheless, despite orders to the contrary, Whiskeyjack allowed the two to join his squad, letting Quick Ben live knowing that this was in contravention of the Emperor's order, while Kalam joined the squad knowing he would face Surly and the Claw's wrath if they found out.Memories of Ice, Chapter 8, US SFBC p.300-306 Quotes Fan art gallery Spoiler free images= File:Kalam1 by Tats.png|Kalam Mekhar by Tats|link=File:Kalam1 by Tats.png File:Kalam2 by Tats.png|Kalam Mekhar by Tats|link=File:Kalam2 by Tats.png File:Kalam3 by Tats.png|Kalam Mekhar by Tats|link=File:Kalam3 by Tats.png File:Kalam4 by Tats.jpg|Kalam Mekhar by Tats|link=File:Kalam4 by Tats.jpg |-|Spoiler images= Notes and references de:Kalam Mekhar pl:Kalam Category:Bridgeburners Category:Assassins Category:Seven Cities natives Category:Malazans Category:Males Category:Claw members Category:Corporals Category:Humans